The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1887-10-03
Chr Aailg @mlletin
Pledged to noithor EJECT pOr Party.
But established for the benefit Of ALL
MONDAY. OCT. 8, 1887.
LspER SEGREGATION.

Is difficult one, mainly perhaps be-
cause it is almost impossible with
the limited resources of the country.
In every district OF the Kingdom it
is notorious that the law requiring
medical men to report to the Board
of Health every case of leprosy that
comes to their knowledge is almost
a dead letter, and in very many cases
also those reported have not been
taken cognizonce of by the Board,
for a variety OF reasons, more or
less satisfactory to those having
control.
That this was q clear dereliction
of duty is undoubted; but beyond
this we are not prepared to go.
There is no dread of leprosy among
the native people as rule, their
intense love of kin binding them
to the risk they run in maintaining
constant and most intimate inter-
course with those smitten with this
repulsive and subtle malady. But
in a civilized country higher duties
are imposed upon its rulers than
Difference to an amiable and un-
reasoning, sentiment cherished by
any section of the population. Pub
lie safety is the higher law. Natural
affection cannot be permitted to bar
the preservation of public health.
In this case, however, the Board of
Health hitherto has not been true to
the requirements of this higher law,
and it is to be seen whether the
present Board will make better
record for itself.
The question of leper segregation
has come up for public discussion
owing to recent action by the Board
of Health which sent a committee of
its members to report upon the
availability of the valley of Kalalau,
on the island of Kauai, for a leper
settlement for Kauai and Niihau.
The valley has a population of from
sixty to seventy people, of whom
twelve, or nearly twenty per cent,
are lepers. 1t is accessible, it is
reported, by two land routes, and
for six months of the year also by
sea. Absolute segregation is there
fore impossible, even partial segre-
CATION, as at Kalawao, could not be
carried out,
This statement of fact is sufficient
to condemn the Kalalau laZaretto
scheme but were this not the case,
the cost of maintaining a medical
and supply establishment there
would forbid it. The cost would be
relatively greater than at Kalawao,
where supplies and building material
can be delivered the year round by
land and water. 1t is said of course
that the valley could produce food
for 500 people. That may be the
case, but when the healthy people
are removed and only lepers remain,
which must be done or the scheme
would be abortive, who would cul-
tiyate the soil? Experience on the
Topper settlement at MolOkai does
not encourage the hope that leper
labor would be self-supporting at
KalaIau. When the Government
takes these people away from their
homes and relatives 1t becomes res
ponsible for their care and main
tenance, and it is recognition of
this fact which induces us to say
that the resources Of the country
are not adequate to the complete
segregation of lepers.
1t is needless to discuss the pro-
position of forming local leper
colonies. These would be so only
in name. Sanitary rules could not
be enforced. Segregation would be
impossible, and the cost of handling
lepers indefinitely increased without
lettering existing conditions. What
should be done is to utilise to the
utmost the Molokai leper settlement.
Let all private interests be bought
out there, all healthy people re-
and transfer to it pronounced
cases of leprosy as far qs possible.
The last Legislature provided ample
funds for this purpose, but the
Board of Health while spending the
funds did not, for many months,
send any lepers to Molokai. This
.he records of the leper hospital will
show.
$500 -s.g='11s ..1Hs9.E.
AN OPEN LETTER.